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GOURMET NEWS www.gourmetnews.com n JANUARY 2018 n GOURMET NEWS 3 4 Red Duck Foods Delivers Unique and Surprising Twists on Familiar Favorites "When was the last time you were excited about ketchup?" That was a question co- Founders Karen Bonner, Jess Hilbert and Shannon Oliver had a hard time answering just four years ago as graduate students in business school. Ketchup and other condi- ments had gotten a bad rap due to sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup and other sta- bilizers and preservatives. In their travels, they had experienced really incredible sauces and even flavored ketchups, so they thought the potential was there. With the goal of making better sauces with better ingredients, Red Duck Foods was born. In May 2013, Red Duck launched its signature line of ketchups – Smoky, Curry and Spicy – into six stores in Eugene, Ore- gon. Now, based in Portland, Oregon, Red Duck Foods is an organic condiment com- pany that takes pride in crafting unique twists on familiar favorites. Its product line has grown to eleven different offerings: four ketchups (Smoky, Curry, Spicy and Origi- nal), three BBQ Sauces (Smoked Apple- wood Molasses, Sweet Mustard Peppercorn and Hot Honey Chipotle), a cocktail sauce, and its newest line of taco sauces (Approach- ably Mild, Actually Spicy and Uniquely Ko- rean). Red Duck's products have distribution throughout the United States as well as in- ternationally in Canada, Australia and Hong Kong. All of the company's sauces are USDA- Organic, gluten free, vegetarian and tend to have around 50 percent less sugar and sodium than their conventional counterparts. "When people ask what sets Red Duck apart, it's easy for us to point to our organic certification and the super positive feedback we've gotten on our packaging design," said Founder and finance lead Karen Bonner. "But re- ally, the best way for people to understand why Red Duck is differ- ent is to try them. We are continually flattered and excited about the over- whelmingly positive feedback we get about our products," she added. Tomatoes play a very significant role in delivering these flavors. "Our tomato-based products are very tomato-forward," noted Founder and operations lead Shannon Oliver. "Our tomatoes are grown in the Central Val- ley of California and they go from field to purée in less than four hours. They are har- vested during the peak summer season so you're really tasting that California sunshine in every bite." Jess Hilbert, the third Founder and mar- keting/sales lead, points to the versatility of their sauces as a major selling point. "Our ingre- dients are really honest and simple. Because of that, they are all phe- nomenal to cook with," she noted. She also pointed to the ever- growing recipe section of their website as a col- lection of some sugges- tions on how their products can be inte- grated into any meal. Red Duck's newest product line, organic taco sauces, hit shelves in early 2018. With a keen eye on the millennial consumer, these sauces will offer a quick and flavorful short- cut for weeknight meals and weekend fiestas alike. For more information, find the company on social media (Facebook, Instagram and Pin- terest), go to www.redduckfoods.com or email info@redduckfoods.com. Sustainable Family Farming, Locally Grown Products, Natural Ingredients Columbia Valley Family Farms, producers of exceptionally fresh pickled products, is in the heart of Washington States Columbia Basin. The owners, Kevin and Bryan, have been farming for almost three decades and have an ardor for agriculture. They are active in the local community through coaching youth sporting teams, volunteering in community service, donating time, talent and resources to charities, and providing support for youth missions. Their success can be attributed to operating with honesty, integrity and imple- menting sustainable farming programs. These definitive traits have bestowed a suc- cessful farming operation on an eager third generation who are now learning how impor- tant it is to bring a quality product to the mar- ket place. Through the careful implementation of in- tentional steps, the company provides the ex- cellence its customers have come to expect over the last 30 years. The hand harvested as- paragus is precisely cut daily and immedi- ately shipped from the fields to the fresh packing lines or to the pro- cessing plant for pickling. With the processing plants a mere 10 miles from the as- paragus fields, Foster's guar- antees a fresh product going into processing and ultimately on to the consumer. "Growing the raw product in our own fields gives us an advantage, the consumer can buy our asparagus, green beans and/or carrots knowing that it's been processed fresh or placed into the jar for pickling within 24 hours," says Kevin Filbrun, President and Chief Execu- tive Officer. Foster's Pickled Products are built on excellence, tradi- tion and sustainability. Its as- paragus, green beans and carrots are 100 percent natu- ral, providing you with excep- tional quality and a crisp, tangy taste. From the family farm in Eastern Washington to your home, the company in- sists on quality every step of the way. Foster's Pickled Products are packed with years of experience and sealed with a vision for the future. For more information, visit booth #6025. Rogue Creamery Wins Gold at World Cheese Awards Rogue Creamery's Rogue River Blue was awarded a Gold Medal at the 30th Annual World Cheese Awards in London, U.K. The World Cheese Awards is the largest and most respected competition of its type in the world, where 260 judges gathered to taste and score more than 3,000 cheeses from 30 countries. "It is an honor to receive the news of Rogue River Blue's Gold Medal award. This is a win for Rogue River Blue and organic Oregon and American made cheese," said David Gremmels, Cheesemaker and Presi- dent. This was the fifth Gold Medal for Rogue River Blue at the World Cheese Awards Competition. It's hand wrapped in Syrah grape leaves, from local biodynamic, organic Cowhorn Vineyard, that have been macer- ated in organic pear liqueur. Its forward, well-aged flavor tastes of brandy, fruit and burnt cream. The flavors of the Rogue Valley signature terroir include hints of sweet pine, wild ripened berries, hazelnuts, morels and pears. Echo Mountain Blue was also recog- nized at the competition with a Bronze Medal; this is the eighth medal at the World Cheese Awards for Echo Mountain. Rogue River Blue Made annually, starting on the autumnal equinox, it is produced at the turn of the season and made with late-season milk. At this time, the cows graze on grasses re- newed by cooler temperatures and make milk that is richer and higher in butterfat due to the ad- vanced stage of the lactation cycle. It is this special milk, re- flective of the unique seasonal influences of the Rogue River Val- ley, which is the very essence of terroir. This is the French concept that well-crafted foods represent a certain special essence of a region: the soil, the climate and the inter- action of herd and pasture. This blue, fin- ished with pear-brandy soaked grape leaves, has a decidedly complex flavor that reflects the unique seasonal influences of the Rogue River Valley. Rogue River Blue has also won Best American Cheese and Super Gold at the 2012 World Cheese Awards in London and is a two-time winner, 2009 and 2011, of the Best of Show Award at the American Cheese Society Competition & Judging. About Rogue Creamery Rogue Creamery's inter- national award winning handmade cheese is pro- duced from USDA Certi- fied Organic milk from its local, organic dairy and made using sustain- able practices. Rogue Creamery ensures a consistently delicious and healthful experi- ence through its commitment to organic, sus- tainable and food safety processes which are third party certified. Its dairy, cheesemaking and ingredients are certified organic by Ore- gon Tilth and food safety programs, by ASI. The Creamery's cheese is carried in Whole Foods, Neal's Yard Dairy, London and Fro- magerie Laurent Dubois, Paris. For more information, visit booth #4805 or go to www.roguecreamery.com. Organic, Full Fat Yogurt from Bellwether Farms Bellwether Farms offers organic, full fat yo- gurt, made with milk from pastured Jersey cows. Jersey cows have more digestible A2 protein than the Holstein breed. This higher quality milk produces a richer, creamier yo- gurt, without straining, added thickeners or added cream. Naturally creamier. Naturally more protein. Naturally more digestible. This yogurt is the perfect snack. Bell- wether Farms is introducing this delicious snack as a four-pack of 3.75-ounce cups. The yogurt is available in plain, vanilla, straw- berry, blueberry, black- berry and spiced apple. It looks beautiful on the shelf and customers will love it. Bellwether Farms is a family owned farm and creamery located in western Sonoma County. Since 1990, it has been producing award-win- ning whole milk dairy products. For more information, visit booth #729, go to www.bellwether farms.com, email info@ bellwetherfarms.com or call 707.763.0993.

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